Key welcome resources
The Ukrainian Welcome Centre has a comprehensive website available in English and Ukrainian with key information for arrival, settling and long-term living in the UK. They also have a physical location near Bond Street station where you can go in person to ask advice.
This comprehensive guide, compiled by Ukrainians in the UK and regularly updated, provides key information about life in the UK, as well as helpful guidance on the available visa schemes. This guide is in Ukrainian.
The British Red Cross have also created an information leaflet for Ukrainians arriving in the UK, available in English and Ukrainian.
The UK Government has prepared a ‘Welcome Guidance’ document for Ukrainians arriving in the UK.
Ukrainian refugee help has compiled lots of useful resources on finding a job and accommodation, paying taxes, applying for benefits, etc.
Ukrainian organisations
The Ukrainian Welcome Centre is a partnership initiative between the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London and the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain. They have an information site and a physical support centre near Bond Street.
The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain has branches across the UK. It exists to develop, promote and support the interests of the Ukrainian community in the UK.
London branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain is based at 154 Holland Park where there are various regular activities for Ukrainians (including art classes, embroidery). They are open at the weekends and there is a cafe & bar where you can order Ukrainian dishes including borscht and varenyky.
The Association of Ukrainian Women in Great Britain has branches in England and Scotland and promotes national identity, cultural development and active membership of the Ukrainian community in the UK.
The Ukrainian Embassy is in London and can provide advice for Ukrainian citizens. There are also Ukrainian consulates in London and Edinburgh.
Plast is the Ukrainian Scouting organisation in Great Britain.
The Ukrainian Youth Association of Great Britain has centres across the UK.
The Ukrainian Catholic Church has parishes in England, Scotland and Wales.
There is also the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Great Britain. Information about UAOC Parishes in the UK, including each Parish’s contact details, is available here.
Ukrainian Events in London is a community non-profit organisation aiming to promote Ukraine in the United Kingdom by supporting and organising charitable, cultural, educational, business, social and sports events.
London Euromaidan is a community group that came together to support the rights of Ukraine and Ukrainians.
St Mary’s Ukrainian School in London is one of the largest Ukrainian community schools in the UK, promoting the Ukrainian language and culture to over 195 students.
What to do if you have problems with your accommodation
Speak to your local council. They have a responsibility to ensure that you have accommodation.
Check the Ukrainian Welcome Centre’s webpage for more information about finding longer-term housing.
If you are looking for private accommodation, the most commonly used sites in the UK are rightmove, spareroom, and openrent.
Translation support
Translators for Ukraine has a regularly updated list of volunteer translators and interpreters.
Primary and secondary school education
This blog post from the UK Government advises families arriving from Ukraine on how to apply for a school place and childcare. This information is available in English and Ukrainian.
The Ministry has also launched the All-Ukrainian Online School—a platform with online lessons for Ukrainian students, organised by grade and subject. This online schedule allows Ukrainian children of each grade to follow a school week remotely, which follows the Ukrainian curriculum and is updated weekly. Corresponding resources are provided for each lesson.
‘Education without Backpacks’ has compiled free educational resources for children in grades 1–11 in Ukrainian, English, Russian and Bulgarian.
Jamm School, a remote learning platform, is currently offering free access to its distance learning programme, for children in grades 5–11. Both the site and platform are in Ukrainian.
Higher education
The Ukrainian Institute team have compiled a list of Higher Education opportunities and resources for Ukrainian students and scholars in the UK, which is updated regularly. Please note this resource is currently only in English.
Science for Ukraine is seeking to collate opportunities for Ukrainian students and researchers around the world.
Scholars UA has compiled a list of scholarship opportunities for Ukrainian students across the EU and the UK.
Legal support
Advice-Ukraine is providing free UK immigration advice for people fleeing Ukraine.
South Westminster Legal Advice Centre operates to give free legal advice to those unable to afford it.
Sterling Law offers free immigration advice for Ukrainians entering the UK. They have also compiled a legal FAQ (in Ukrainian only).
Medical care
All Ukrainians arriving in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine or Ukraine Family schemes will be able to access NHS healthcare free of charge, including GP and nurse consultations, hospital services, and urgent care centres. The NHS website provides information on registering with a GP and has a directory which can be searched by postcode.
Doctors of the World, available in Ukrainian, offers explanations about how healthcare in the UK works, such as the NHS and COVID vaccines.
Virtually Healthcare, aware that some Ukrainian refugees have found it difficult to register with an NHS GP practice, have adapted their registration process. They are offering: an address (their practice) if the patient has no fixed address; immediate care once the patient is registered; a Ukrainian interpreter; longer consultations; access to their Mental Health Specialist practitioner; and immediate registration.
Mental health support and trauma counselling
It’s Complicated offers free, online counselling to anyone directly affected by the war in Ukraine. Most counsellors are English-speaking, but some speak Ukrainian and/or Russian, and each listed counsellor commits to a minimum of 4 sessions (45min-1hour). You can use the site’s filters (i.e. language, gender), to narrow it down to female Ukrainian-speaking counsellors, for example.
Sane Ukraine provides daily online trauma and resilience support sessions. Sessions are held on zoom every day at 5:30pm GMT led by experienced therapists and trauma coaches with Ukrainian translation.
The Listening Place offers free, face-to-face sessions at centres in central London for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts. Sessions are confidential, once a fortnight, and available in English, Russian or Polish (and in Ukrainian via telephone interpreter). Arrange an initial meeting using the contact form on their website or email referrals@listeningplace.org.uk.
Rewise Project is a non-profit organisation offering free counselling and psychotherapy in English and Polish to Ukrainian refugees.
Ukraine Parenting Response, set up by Oxford University with WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR and other partners, are offering resources and evidence-based parenting advice to support families impacted by the ongoing war in Ukraine. All resources can be downloaded from the website, and are available in Ukrainian, Russian and English.
Benefits
Information on applying for UK Pension Credit.
Information on applying for Universal Credit. This page allows you to check your eligibility and apply for Universal Credit, and includes the details of a dedicated helpline.
Job opportunities for Ukrainians
Remote Ukraine has been set up to pair Ukrainians with suitable remote working opportunities.
Indeed Flex is helping Ukrainian refugees find flexible jobs in the UK. Fill in the form with your details and experience, and they will contact you to arrange an online interview, which will be available in Ukrainian. The site is available in both Ukrainian and English.
Together with United For Ukraine, we have set up a listings page of job opportunities for Ukrainians arriving in the UK. We will keep this page regularly updated. Please email info@ukrainianinstitute.org.uk if you have details of more opportunities.
Other resources
UnitedforUkraine offers advice and access to humanitarian assistance for people affected by the war in Ukraine, in English and Ukrainian.
The Ukrainian Crisis Action Group (UCAG) website was set up at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but will soon be updated to reflect the needs of the current crisis.
Other offers for Ukrainians
Little Village can provide clothes for 0 to 5 year olds, via their referral form. Please note they only accept referrals from professionals or organisations.
Barons Court Theatre will give free tickets to anyone with a Ukrainian passport. They are also interested in offering Ukrainian performing artists a free space in which to perform their work; please reach out to them directly for more information.
Kingston Women’s Centre can offer rooms for Ukrainian women and girls to meet and support each other, free of charge. Please contact info@ukrainianinstitute.org.uk if you would like to set this up.
Tri Wellness is a wellbeing app with mental health guidance, fitness classes and programs, cooking classes and financial education, which is now available free of charge to Ukrainians in the UK. For access, email admin@triwellness.co.uk.
The Pianoman charity would be delighted to assist any talented Ukrainian students who have been learning at home and need assistance while here in the UK. They do not need to worry if they are out of practice, nor if their English is not good. Visit their website or email nicrobinson55@icloud.com for more details.
